V 1281 
F75 
opy 1 



msmam 



RICE TWENTY FIVE CENTS 



TH E 




I 



OIcK 6c Fitzgerald 

NEW YORK 



THE GIST OF 
BRIDGE 

CONTAINING 

A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE GAME 
ITS LAWS 
AND ALL THE RULES FOR DECLARING 
DOUBLING, LEADING, UNBLOCK- 
ING, FINESSING, AND THE 
ELEVEN RULE 

BY 

R. F. FOSTER 

Copyright, 1904, by Dick & Fitzgerald 



♦ 



NEW YORK 
DICK & FITZGERALD 



LIBRARY of C0N8'^t:>S 
Two Copies rfecwv«u 

DEC 16 ii^lH 

Copyri^iu tiKi.y 

CUSS CL XAC Nui 
j? COHY a. 

alfci'l'niiliTW II II .-i-Mi iiMiri - ■ a 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The Laws of Bridge 5 

How TO Begin ^5 

Objects of the Game 28 

The Makes . . 34 

Passed Makes 43 

Doubling ^^ 

The Adversaries' Play 5^ 

Leading 5^ 

Leading against Trumps 5^ 

Leading against No-trumpers . • . • 5^ 

Third Hand Play 57 

Third Hand, Trumps Called . . . .57 

Third Hand, No Trumps 59 

Return Leads "° 

The Eleven Rule ^^ 

Second Hand Play ^5 

Fourth Hand Play ^^ 

Discarding ^ 

Dealer and Dummy 

Playing No-trumpers ^^ 

Playing Trump Hands 7o 

Finessing . . • • • • * * ^^ 

Re-entry Cards 7^ 

Illustrative Hands ....•• 73 

Dummy Bridge ^ 

Interesting Problem 



THE AMERICAN 

LAWS OF BRIDGE 



THE RUBBER 

I. The rubber is the best of three games. If 
the first two games be won by the same partners, 
the third game is not played. 



SCORING 

2. A game consists of thirty points obtained by 
tricks alone, exclusive of any points counted for 
honors, chicane or slam. 

3. Every deal is played out, and any points in 
excess of thirty points necessary for the game are 
counted. 

4. Each trick above six counts two points when 
spades are trumps, four ■ points when clubs are 
trumps, six points when diamonds are trumps, 
eight points when hearts are trimips, and twelve 
points when there are no trumps. 

5. Honors are ace, king, queen, knave and ten 
of the trump suit; or the aces when no trump is 
declared. 



6 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

6, Honors are credited to the original holders 
and are valued as follows: 



Declaration. 



Each Trick above Six. 





U Hone 


r/o 




^ 


4 


O 


4 " 


^ 1 




O 


5 


W 


5 




Is 



(All in one hand) 

(4 in one hand) . . 

(All in one hand) 

Chicane 



♦ 


+ 


♦ 


8 


2 


4 


6 


4 


8 


12 


16 


8 


16 


24 


32 


16 


32 


48 


64 


10 


20 


30 


40 


IS 


36 


54 


72 


20 


40 


60 


80 


4 


8 


12 


16 



No 
Trumps 



12 

30 

40 

100 



Rubber 100, Grand Slam 40, Little Slam 20. 

7. Slam is thirteen tricks scored independently 
of the revoke or lead out of turn penalty, and adds 
forty points to the honor count. 

8. Little slam is twelve tricks similarly scored, 
and adds twenty points to the honor count. 

9. Chicane (one hand void of trumps), is equal 
in value to simple honors, i.e., if partner of player, 
having chicane scores honors he adds the value of 
three honors to his score, while, if the adversaries 
score honors, it deducts an equal value from theirs.* 

10. The value of honors, slam, little slam or 
chicane, is in nowise affected by doubling or re- 
doubling. 

* Double Chicane (both hands devoid of trumps) is 
equal in value to four honors, and the value thereof must 
be deducted from the total honor score of the adversaries. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE ^ 

11. At the conclusion of a rubber the scores for 
tricks and honors (including chicane and slam), 
obtained by each side are added, and one hundred 
points are added to the score of the winners of the 
rubber. The difference between the completed 
scores is the number of points won or lost by the 
winners of the rubber. 

12. If an erroneous score affecting honors, chi- 
cane or slam be proven, such mistake may be cor- 
rected at any time before the score of the rubber 
has been made up and agreed upon. 

13. If an erroneous score affecting tricks be 
proven, such mistake must be corrected prior to 
the conclusion of the game in which it has occurred, 
and such game shall not be considered as concluded 
until the following deal has been completed and the 
trump declared, unless it be that the game is the 
last one of the rubber — then the score is subject 
to inquiry until an agreement between the sides 
(as to the value of the rubber) shall have been 
reached. 

CUTTING 

14. The ace is the lowest card. 

15. In all cases every player must cut from the 
same pack. 

16. Should a player expose more than one card, 
he must cut again. 

FORMING TABLES 

17. The prior right of playing is with those first 
in the room. If there are more than four candi- 



8 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

dates for seats at a table, the privilege of playing 
is decided by cutting. The four who cut the lowest 
cards play first. 

i8. After the table is formed, the players cut to 
decide on partners; the two lowest playing against 
the two highest. The lowest is the dealer, who 
has choice of cards and seats, and who, having 
once made his selection, must abide by it. 

19. Should the two players who cut lowest, 
secure cards of equal value, they shall re-cut to 
determine which of the two shall deal, and the 
lower on the recut deals. 

20. Should three players cut cards of equal value, 
they cut again; if the fourth card be the highest, 
the two lowest of the new cut are partners and the 
lower of the two the dealer ; if, however, the fourth 
card be the lowest, the two highest on the re-cut 
are partners and the original lowest the dealer. 

21. Six players constitute a full table, and no 
player shall have a right to cut into a game which 
is complete. 

22. When there are more than six candidates, 
the right to succeed any player who may retire is 
acquired by announcing the desire to do so, and 
such announcement shall constitute a prior right 
to the first vacancy. 



CUTTING OUT 

23. If at the end of a rubber admission be claimed 
by one or two candidates, the player or players hav- 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 9 

ing played a greater number of consecutive rubbers 
shall withdraw ; but when all have played the same 
number, they must cut to decide upon the outgoers ; 
the highest are out. 



RIGHTS OF ENTRY 

24. A candidate desiring to enter a table must de- 
clare such wish before any player at the table cuts 
a card, either for the purpose of commencing a 
fresh rubber or of cutting out. 

25. In the formation of new tables, those candi- 
dates who have neither belonged to nor played at 
any other table have the prior right of entry. Those 
who have already played decide their right of ad- 
mission by cutting. 

26. A player who cuts into one table while be- 
longing to another, shall forfeit his prior right of 
re-entry into the latter, unless by doing so he enables 
three candidates to form a fresh table. In this 
event he may signify his intention of returning to 
his original table, and his place at the new one can 
be filled. 

27. Should any player quit the table during the 
progress of a rubber, he may, with the consent of 
the other three players, appoint a substitute during 
his absence; but such appointment shall become 
void with the conclusion of the rubber, and sh?.li 
not in any way affect the substitute's rights. 

28. If anyone break up a table, the remaining 
players have a prior right to play at other tables. 



lO THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

SHUFFLING 

29. The pack must neither be shuffled below 
the table nor so the face of any card be seen. 

30. The dealer's partner must collect the cards 
for the ensuing deal and he has the first right to 
shuffle the cards. Each player has the right to 
shuffle subsequently. The dealer has the right 
to shuffle last, but should a card or cards be seen 
during his shuffling, or while giving the pack to be 
cut, he must re-shuffle. 

31. Each player, after shuffling, must place the 
cards properly collected and face downward to the 
left of the player next to deal. 

THE DEAL 

32. Each player deals in his turn; the order of 
dealing goes to the left. 

33. The player on the dealer's right cuts the 
pack, and in dividing it he must not leave fewer 
than four cards in either packet; if in cutting or in 
replacing one of the two packets a card be exposed, 
or if there be any confusion of the cards or a doubt 
as to the exact place in which the pack was divided, 
there must be a fresh cut. 

34. When the player whose duty it is to cut has 
once separated the pack he can neither re-shuffle 
nor re-cut the cards. 

35. Should the dealer shuffle the cards, after 
the pack is cut, the pack must be cut again. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE li 

36. The fifty- two cards shall be dealt face down- 
ward. The deal is not completed until the last card 
has been deaU face downward. 

37. There is No Misdeal. 

A NEW DEAL 

38. There must be a new deal— 

a If the cards be not dealt into four packets, 
one at a time, and in regular rotation, be- 
ginning at the dealer's left. 

b If, during a deal, or during the play of a 
hand, the pack be proven incorrect or im- 
perfect. 

c If any card be faced in the pack. 

d If any player have dealt to him a greater 
number of cards than thirteen. 

e If the dealer deal two cards at once and then 
deal a third before correcting the error. 

./ If the dealer omit to have the pack cut and 
the adversaries call attention to the fact 
prior to the conclusion of the deal and 
before looking at their cards. 

g Should the last card not come in its regular 
order to the dealer. 

39. There may be a new deal — 

a If the dealer or his partner expose a card. 

The eldest hand may claim a new deal. 
b If either adversary expose a card. The dealer 

may claim a new deal. 
c If, before fifty-one cards are dealt, the dealer 

should look at any card. His adversaries 



12 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

have the right to see it, and the eldest hand 
may exact a new deal. 
d If, in deahng, one of the last cards be exposed 
by the dealer or his partner, and the deal 
is completed before there is reasonable 
time for the eldest hand to decide as to a 
new deal. But in all other cases such 
penalties must be claimed prior to the con- 
clusion of the deal. 

40. The claim for a new deal by reason of a card 
exposed during the deal may not be made by a 
player who has looked at any of his cards. If a 
new deal does not take place, 'the card exposed 
during the deal cannot be called. 

41. Should three players have their right num- 
ber of cards, the fourth, not being dummy, have less 
than thirteen and not discover such deficiency until 
he has played any of his cards, the deal stands 
good; should he have played, he is answerable 
for any revoke he may have made as if the missing 
card or cards had been in his hand. He may 
search the other pack for it or them. 

42. If, during the play of a deal a pack be proven 
incorrect or imperfect, such proof renders only the 
current deal void, and does not affect any prior 
score. The dealer must deal again (Law 38 6). 

43. Anyone deahng out of turn or with the ad- 
versaries' cards must be corrected before the play 
of the first card, otherwise the deal stands good. 

44. A player can neither cut, shuffle nor deal for 
his partner without the permission of his oppo- 
nents. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 13 

DECLARING TRUMPS 

45. The trump is declared. No card is turned. 
a The dealer may .either make the trump or 

pass the declaration to his partner. 
b If the declaration be passed to partner, he 
must declare the trump. 

46. Should the dealer's partner make the trump 
without receiving permission from the dealer, the 
eldest hand may demand, 

I St. That the trump shall stand, or 
2d. That there shall be a new deal,_ 

provided, that no declaration as to doubling has 
been made. 

47. Should the dealer's partner pass the declara- 
tion to the dealer it shall be the right of the eldest 
hand to claim a new deal or to compel the offend- 
ing player to declare the trump; provided, that no 
declaration as to doubling has been made. 

48. If either of the dealer's adversaries make a 
declaration, the dealer may, after looking at his 
hand, either claim a new deal or proceed as if no 
declaration had been made. 

49. A declaration once made cannot be altered. 

DOUBLING, RE-DOUBLING, ETC. 

50. The effect of doubling, re-doubling, and so 
on, is that the value of each trick above six is 
doubled, quadrupled, and so on. 



14 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

51. After the trump declaration has been made 
by the dealer or his partner, their adversaries have 
the right to double. The eldest hand has the first 
right. If he does not v^ish to double, he may ask 
his partner, ''May I lead?'^ His partner must 
answer, '' Yes^' or ''I double.'^ 

52. If either of their adversaries elect to double, 
the dealer and his partner have the right to re- 
double. The player v^^ho has declared the trump 
shall have the first right. He may say, ''I re- 
double'^ or ''Satisfied." Should he say the latter, 
his partner may re-double. 

53. If the dealer or his partner elect to re-double, 
their adversaries shall have the right to again 
double. The original doubler has the first right. 

54. If the right-hand adversary of the dealer 
double before his partner has asked "May I lead ?'' 
the declarer of the trump shall have the right to say 
whether or not the double shall stand. If he decide 
that the double shall stand, the process of re-doubhng 
may continue as described in paragraphs 52, 53, 55. 

55. The process of re-doubling may be continued 
indefinitely. The first right to continue the re- 
doubling on behalf of a partnership belongs to 
that player who has last re-doubled. Should he, 
however, express himself satisfied, the right to con- 
tinue the re-doubling passes to his partner. Should 
any player re-double out of turn, the adversary 
who last doubled shall decide w^hether or not such 
double shall stand. If it is decided that the re- 
double shall stand, the process of re-doubling may 
continue as described in this and foregoing laws 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 1 5 

(52 and 53). If any double or re-double out of turn 
be not accepted there shall be no further doubling 
in that hand. Any consultation between partners 
as to doubling or re-doubling will entitle the maker 
of the trump or the eldest hand, without consulta- 
tion, to a new deal. 

56. If the eldest hand lead before the doubling 
be completed, his partner may re-double only with 
the consent of the adversary who last doubled; 
but such lead shall not affect the right of either 
adversary to double. 

57. Wlien the question, ^'May I lead?" has been 
answered in the afl&rmative or when the player 
who has the last right to continue the doubhng, 
expresses himself satisfied, the play shall begin. 

58. Should the eldest hand lead without asking 
permission of his partner, the maker of the trump 
may call a suit or the card originally led. 

59. Should the right-hand adversary of the dealer 
ask permission to lead, the maker of the trump may 
call a suit from the eldest hand. This does not affect 
the right of any player to double or re-double. In 
these last two cases no penalty can be exacted after 
the dummy hand or any part of it is on the table, 
since he (dummy) has accepted the situation. 

60. A declaration, as to doubling or re-doubling, 
once made cannot be altered. 



DUMMY 

61. As soon as the eldest hand has led, the deal- 
er's partner shall place his cards face upward on 



l6 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

the table, and the duty of playing the cards from 
that hand shall devolve upon the dealer, unassisted 
by his partner. 

62. After exposing his cards, the dealer's part- 
ner has no part whatever in the game, except that he 
has the right to ask the dealer if he has none of the 
suit to which he may have renounced. He may 
also ask his partner, who may have been called 
upon to play his highest or lowest card, if he has 
conformed to the penalty. 

63. If he should call attention to any other inci- 
dent of the play, in consequence of which any pen- 
alty might be exacted, the fact of his so doing pre- 
cludes the dealer exacting such penalty. Should 
he intimate to the dealer by word or gesture that 
he is about to lead from the wrong hand, it estab- 
lishes the offence, and the penalty under Law 77 
may be enforced. He has the right, however, at 
any time during the play, to correct the claim of 
either adversary to a penalty to which the latter 
is not entitled. He may also call his partner's 
attention to the fact that the trick has not been 
completed. 

64. If the dealer's partner, by touching a card 
or otherwise, suggest the play of a card from 
dummy, either of the adversaries may, but without 
consultation, call on the dealer to play or not to 
play the card suggested. 

65. Dummy is not liable to the penalty for a re- 
voke ; and if he should revoke and the error be not 
discovered until the trick is turned and quitted, 
the trick stands good. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE l^ 

66. When the dealer draws a card from his own 
hand, such card is not considered as played until 
actually quitted, but should he name or touch a 
card from the dummy hand, such card is considered 
as played, unless the dealer in touching the card 
or cards says, ^^I arrange," or words to that effect. 

CARDS EXPOSED BEFORE PLAY 

. 67. If, after the deal has been completed, and 
before the trump declaration has been made, either 
the dealer or his partner expose a card from his 
hand, the eldest hand may, without consulting 
with his partner, claim a new deal. 

68. If, after the deal has been completed, and 
before a card is led, any player shall expose a card, 
his partner shall forfeit any right to double or re- 
double which he otherwise would have been en- 
titled to exercise; and in case of a card being so 
exposed by the leader's partner, the dealer may 
either call the card or require the leader not to 
lead the suit of the exposed card. 

CARDS EXPOSED DURING PLAY 

69. All cards exposed by the dealer's adversaries 
are liable to be called, and such cards must be left 
face upward on the table. 

70. The following are exposed cards: 

I St. Two or more cards played at once. 
2d. Any card dropped with its face upward, 
or in any way exposed on or above the 



i8 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

table, even though snatched up so quickly 
that no one can name it. 
3d. Every card so held by a player that his 
partner can see any portion of its face. 

71. A card dropped on the floor or elsewhere 
below the table is not an exposed card. 

72. If two or more cards be played at once by 
either of the dealer's adversaries, the dealer shall 
have the right to call which one he pleases to the 
current trick, and the other card or cards shall re- 
main face upward on the table and may be de- 
manded at any time. 

73. If, without waiting for his partner to play, 
either of the dealer's adversaries should play on 
the table the best card or lead one which is a win- 
ning card, as against the dealer and dummy, or 
should continue (without waiting for his partner 
to play) to lead several such cards, the dealer may 
demand that the partner of the player in fault, 
win, if he can, the first, or any other of these tricks, 
and the other cards thus improperly played are 
exposed cards. 

74. If either or both of the dealer's adversaries 
throw his or their cards on the table face upward, 
such cards are exposed and are liable to be called; 
but if either adversary retain his hand he cannot be 
forced to abandon it. If, however, the dealer 
should say, ''I have the rest," or any other word 
indicating that the remaining tricks are his, the 
adversaries of the dealer are not liable to have 
any of their cards called should they expose them, 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 19 

believing the dealer's claim to be true, should it 
subsequently prove false. 

75. If a player who has rendered himself liable 
to have the highest or lowest of a suit called (Laws 
91, 92 and 100), fail to play as directed, or if, when 
called on to lead one suit, lead another, having in 
his hand one or more cards of the suit demanded 
(Law 76), or if called upon to win or lose a trick, 
fail to do so when he can (Laws 73, 82 and 100) he 
is liable to the penalty for revoke, unless such play 
be corrected before the trick is turned and quitted. 

LEADS OUT OF TURN 

76. If either of the dealer's adversaries lead out 
of turn, the dealer may call the card erroneously 
led, or may call a suit when it is next the turn of 
either adversary to lead. 

77. One trick taken from the offending player 
and added to those of the adversaries shall be the 
penalty if the dealer led out of turn, either from 
his own hand or dummy. This penalty may be 
exacted for as many leads out of turn as occur 
during the play of the deal, except at the play of 
the thirteenth trick. 

78. If any player lead out of turn and the other 
three follow him, the trick is complete and the error 
cannot be rectified ; but if only the second, or second 
and third play to the false lead, their cards may be 
taken back; there is no penalty against anyone ex- 
cept the original offender, who, if he be one of the 
dealer's adversaries, may be penalized as provided 



20 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

in Law 76, or, if he be the dealer, as provided in 
Law 77. 

79. In no case can a player be compelled to play 
a card which would oblige him to revoke. 

80. The call of an exposed card may be repeated 
at every trick until such card has been played. 

81. If a player called on to lead a suit have none 
of it, the penalty is paid. 

CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR 

82. Should the fourth hand (not being dummy 
or dealer) play before the second has played to the 
trick, the latter may be called upon to play his high- 
est or lowest card of the suit played, or to win 
or lose the trick. 

83. If anyone, not being dummy, omit playing 
to a former trick and such error be not corrected 
until he has played to the next, the adversaries 
may claim a new deal ; should they decide that the 
deal stands good, the surplus card at the end of 
the hand is considered to have been played to 
the imperfect trick, but does not constitute a 
revoke therein. 

84. If anyone (except dummy) play two cards 
to the same trick and the mistake be not corrected 
until the hand is played out, he is answerable for 
any consequent revokes he may have made. If 
during the play of the hand the error be detected, 
the tricks may be counted face downward, in order 
to ascertain whether there be among them a card 
too many; should this be the case, the trick which 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 2i 

contains a surplus card may be examined and the 
card restored to its original holder, who (not being 
dummy) shall be liable for any revoke he may 
meanwhile have made. 

THE REVOKE 

85. Should a player (other than dummy) hold- 
ing one or more cards of the suit led, play a card 
of a different suit, he revokes. The penalty for a 
revoke takes precedence of all other counts. 

86. Three tricks taken from the revoking player 
and added to those of the adversaries shall be the 
penalty for a revoke. 

87. The penalty is appHcable only to the score 
of the game in which it occurs. 

^ 88. Under no cii;cumstances can the revoking 
side score game, in that hand. Whatever their 
previous score may have been, the side revoking 
cannot attain a higher score toward game than 
twenty-eight. 

89. A revoke is estabhshed if the trick in which 
it occurs be turned and quitted, i.e., the hand re- 
moved from the trick after it has been gathered 
and placed face downward on the table; or if 
either the revoking player or his partner, whether 
in his right turn or otherwise, have led or played 
to the following trick. 

90. A player may ask his partner if he has no 
card of the suit which he has renounced; should 
the question be asked before the trick is turned 
and quitted, subsequent turning and quitting does 



22 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

not establish a revoke, and the error may be cor- 
rected unless the question be answered in the 
negative or unless the revoking player or his part- 
ner, has led or played to the following trick. 

91. If a player correct his mistake in time to 
save a revoke, any player or players who have fol- 
lowed him may withdraw their cards and sub- 
stitute others, and the cards so withdrawn are not 
exposed cards. If the player in fault be one of the 
dealer's adversaries, the card played in error is an 
exposed card, and the dealer can call it whenever 
he pleases; or he may require the offender to play 
his highest or lowest card of the suit to the trick in 
which he has renounced. 

92. If the player in fault be the dealer, the eldest 
hand may require him to play the highest or lowest 
card of the suit in which he hasjenounced, provided 
both adversaries of the dealer have played to the 
current trick; but this penalty cannot be exacted 
against the dealer when he is fourth in hand, nor 
can it be enforced at all from dummy. 

93. At the end of a hand the claimants of a re- 
voke may search all the tricks. If the cards have 
been mixed the claim may be urged and proved 
if possible; but no proof is necessary, and the re- 
voke is established if, after it has been claimed, 
the accused player or his partner mix the cards 
before they have been sufficiently examined by the 
adversaries. 

94. A revoke must be claimed before the cards 
have been cut for the following deal. 

95. Should the players on both sides subject 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 23 

themselves to the revoke penalty neither can win 
the game by that hand. 

96. The revoke penalty may be claimed for as 
many revokes as occur during a hand; but the 
accumulated penalty shall in no event exceed thir- 
teen tricks. (See Law 7.) 

i 

i GENERAL RULES 

97. There should not be any consultation be- 
tween partners as to the enforcement of penalties. 
If they do so consult, the penalty is paid. 

98. Once a trick is complete, turned and quitted 
it must not be looked at (except under Law 84), 
until the end of the hand. 

99. Anyplayer during the play of a trick or after the 
four cards are played and before they are touched for 
the purpose of gathering them together, may demand 
that the cards be placed before their respective players. 

100. If either of the dealer's adversaries, prior to 
his partner's playing, should call attention to .the 
trick, either by saying it is his, or, without being 
requested so to do, by naming his card or drawing 
It toward him, the dealer may require that oppo- 
Qent's partner to play his highest or lowest card of 
the suit led, or to win or lose the trick. 

loi. Should either of the dealer's adversaries, 
during the play of a hand, make any unauthorized 
reference to any incident of the play, or should he 
:all his partner's attention to the fact that he is about 
xo play or lead out of turn, the dealer may call a 
;suit from the adversary whose turn it is next to lead. 



24 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

1 02. In all cases where a penalty has been in- 
curred, the offender is bound to give reasonable 
time for the decision of his adversaries; but if a 
wrong penalty be demanded none can be enforced. 

103. Should the partner of the player solely en- 
titled to exact a penalty, suggest or demand the 
enforcement of it, such action shall be deemed a 
consultation and no penalty can be enforced. 

NEW CARDS 

104. Unless a pack be imperfect, no player shall 
have the right to call for one new pack. If fresh 
cards are demanded, two packs must be furnished 
and paid for by the player who has demanded them. 
If they are furnished during a rubber, the adversa- 
ries shall have their choice of new cards. If it is the 
beginning of a hew rubber, the dealer, whether he 
or one of his adversaries be the party calling for the 
new cards, shall have the choice. New cards must 
be called for before the pack be cut for a new deal. 

105. A card or cards torn or marked must be re- 
placed by agreement or new cards furnished. 

BYSTANDERS 

106. While a bystander, by agreement among the 
players, may decide any question, yet he must on 
no account say anything unless appealed to; and 
if he make any remark which calls attention to an 
oversight affecting the score, or to the exaction of 
a penalty, he is liable to be called on by the players 
to pay the stakes on that rubber. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



HOW TO BEGIN 

All that is necessary to begin. to play bridge is a 
pack of fifty-two cards, four players, and a slip of 
paper on which to keep the score. Sometimes 
each player at the table keeps the score, but the 
more general way is for one person to keep it, the 
others seeing that it is correctly put down. 

In order to decide who shall be partners, each of 
the four candidates for play draws a card from a 
pack which is spread face downward on the table. 
The two drawing the lowest cards are partners 
against the two drawing the highest cards and the 
lowest card of all has the first deal, and the choice 
of where he will sit. If two packs are played with, 
he also has the choice of them. 

In cutting, the ace is the lowest card. 

If, in cutting for partners, two players cut cards 
of equal value, and these are the two lowest, they 
cut again to see who shall have the first deal. If 
they are the two highest, it does not matter, but if 
the ties are the two intermediate cards, they must cut 
again to decide which of them shall play with the 
original low. Even if one of the second cut should 
be lower than any of the first cut, that does not 
give the second cut the privilege of the first deal, 
but only makes him the partner of the dealer. 

25 



25 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



When there are more than four candidates to play 
at one table, or when new players wish to enter a 
table after a rubber is finished, those who shall 
play must be decided by cutting, according to the 
method described in the Laws of the game, under 
the heading, ''Forming Tables." 

The dealer and 'his partner sit opposite each 
other and the cards, having been properly shuffled, 
are presented to the player on the dealer's right 
to be cut. The player who cuts is called the pone, 
and the positions of the four players at the table 
are usually indicated by the letters A-B and Y-Z, 
the dealer being always Z. 

Dummy 



Leader 




Pone 



Dealer 



The leader is sometimes called the Eldest Hand 
and the pone is often spoken of as the Third Hand ; 
but the terms, leader, second hand, third hand, 
and fourth hand may refer to any trick. For in- 
stance, the dealer might lead, and then A would 
be second hand, etc. 

Those who play against the dealer and dummy 
are generally called the ''adversaries.'' 

The cards cut, the dealer distributes them one 
at a time to each player in succession, beginning 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE' 27 

on his left, and continuing until the whole pack has 
been given out. No trump is turned up at the end. 
What to do in case of any irregularities in the deal 
will be found explained in the Laws. 

After all the cards have been correctly dealt out, 
the dealer picks up his thirteen and examines 
them. He then has the privilege of naming any suit 
for a trump or of declaring to play without a trump. 
If his cards are not strong enough to justify him in 
making any selection, he must ask his partner to 
do so, by saying, ''I leave it,'' or '^You make it. 
Partner, "or some such expression, which will notify 
all the players that the make is ^^ passed." The 
dealer's partner then examines his cards and he 
must declare something or other, but without any 
consultation with or advice from, the dealer. 

After the dealer or his partner has once legiti- 
mately made a declaration, the adversaries cannot 
change it, but they may increase the value of the 
trick points by doubling, as will be explained 
presently. 

The trump declared, the eldest hand leads any 
card he pleases, and then the dealer's partner, the 
dummy, lays all his thirteen cards face upward on 
the table, properly sortedinto suits, the trumps, if 
any, on his right hand. From that point on, the 
dealer plays both his own cards and the dummy's, 
dummy not being allowed to take any part in the 
play or to offer any suggestions or make any re- 
marks except to ask his partner if he has none 
of a suit to which he renounces. This question 
dummy should be very careful to ask upon every 



28 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

occasion, as the penalty for a revoke is very severe. 
Dummy may also correct the claim of the adversa- 
ries to a penalty to which they are not entitled and 
he may call attention to the fact that a trick is not 
complete. 

The dealer must be very careful in playing the 
two hands not to lead from the wrong one, or the 
adversaries will take a trick from him as penalty. 
If dummy tells him he is about to lead from the 
wrong hand, that establishes the offence. All the 
smaller irregularities of the game will be found 
provided for in the Laws, which should always be 
referred to in case of disputes. 

OBJECTS OF THE GAME 

The object of the game is to make points and 
these are accumulated by winning tricks and scor- 
ing for the honors held. There being thirteen tricks 
to be played for in each hand, one side or the other 
must always win a majority. The first six of 
these tricks taken by one side do not count. They 
are called ''the book." But every trick over six 
taken by the same partners counts toward game, 
a game being 30 points. 

TABLE OF TRICK VALUES 

If A are trumps, each trick counts 2 

If 4» are trumps, each trick counts 4 

If ♦ are trumps, each trick counts 6 

If y are trumps, each trick counts 8 

If there are No Trumps, each trick counts 12 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 29 

If hearts were trumps, and one side took eight 
tricks altogether, they would have two over the 
book, for which they would score twice 8, or 16 
points. This would be called ''two by cards.'' 
Nine tricks would be ''three by cards," etc. 

When one side reaches or passes 30 points, it 
is a game and the side first winning two out of 
three games wins the rubber. If the same part- 
ners win the first two games, the third is not 
played. 

It does not matter how many more than 30 
points one side may make upon any hand or deal, 
it is all put down, but it counts only as one game. 
Suppose A-B had already scored 16 toward game 
and were to make five by cards at no-trump on 
the next hand, it would put their total score to 76, 
but it would count only as one game of the rubber. 

In addition to the score for tricks, which are 
the only points that win games, there are certain 
scores for "honors." The honors are the A K Q J 
10 of a trump suit, or the four aces when there are 
no trumps. The table of honor values is given on 
the following page. The difficulties of remember- 
ing it will be simplified by observing that three 
honors out of five held by one side, which are called 
"simple honors," are always worth two tricks. 

4 honors between partners are worth 4 tricks. 

5 honors between partners are worth 5 tricks. 
4 honors in one hand are worth 8 tricks, or twice 
as much as 4 divided between partners. 

4 honors in one hand, sth in the partner's, are 
worth 9 tricks. 



so THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

5 honors in one hand are worth lo tricks, or 
twice as much as 5 divided between partners. 

Suppose hearts were trumps, a trick being 
worth 8, 4 honors in one hand would be worth 8 
times 8, or 64. 

TABLE OF HONOR VALUES 

If the trump suit is ^ + ♦ V 

3 honors count 4 8 12 16 

4 honors count 8 16 24 32 

5 honors count 10 20 30 40 

4 in one hand count 16 32 48 64 

4 in one hand, sth in partner's. . 18 36 54 72 

5 in one hand 20 40 60 80 

When there are no trumps: 

3 aces between partners count 30 

4 aces between partners count 40 

4 aces in one hand count 100 

Chicane counts the same as 3 honors. 

Little Slam counts 20 

Grand Slam counts 40 

These honor points score nothing toward the 
game, but they add to the ultimate value of the 
rubber. It often happens that one side will make 
the trick points and the other will score the honors. 
In order to keep the honor scores separate from 
the trick points, honor scores are placed '^ above 
the line," as shown in the specimen score sheet 
which follows. Trick scores are written down- 
ward, below the line, and honor scores are written 
upward, above the line. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



31 



In addition to the honors 
themselves, there are certain 
scores which go into the honor 
column, above the line. If one 
side wins all thirteen tricks, it 
adds 40 points in the honor col- 
umn for '^ grand slam." Win- 
ning 12 out of the 13 counts 20 
points for 'kittle slam." 

If any player at the table has 
no trump at all dealt to him, he 
scores the value of simple honors 
in the honor column for ^^ chi- 
cane." He must not announce 
the fact that he is chicane until 
the fact becomes evident from 
his failure to follow suit to the 
trump lead. 

At the end of the rubber, the 
winners of the two games add 
100 points to their honor score 
as a bonus. Both scores are 
then added up and the lower is 
deducted from the higher, the 
difference being the value of 
the rubber in points. It some- 
times happens that the winners 
of the rubber lose a few points, 
on account of their adversaries' 
big honor score. 

In the example score clip 
given in the margin we are 



WE 


THEY 




100 


20 


32 


48 


12 


16 


30 


24 






60 


36 






32 


144 


266 




144 




122 



32 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

supposed to be the players that kept the score, 
and the figures put down were the results of the 
following play: 

On the first hand we dealt and made three 
tricks and simple honors in hearts, 24 below the 
hne and 16 above. Then they dealt and made 
five by cards and 30 aces at no-trumps; 60 below, 
30 above, winning the first game and drawing a 
line under the trick score to show that the game is 
ended. 

Then v^e dealt and made a Httle slam in diamonds, 
with four honors in one hand; 36 below, 48 and 20 
above, the little slam being scored separately from 
the honors. On this deal, one adversarv had no 
trump at all, so they scored chicane in diamonds, 
12 points above the line. A line was then drawn 
under the trick score, showing that the second 
game was ended. 

On the third game of the rubber, they dealt 
and made four tricks and four honors between 
partners in hearts, 32 ''each way," that is, above 
and below the line. This ended the rubber and 
as THEY had won 2 out of 3 games, they added 
100 points in the honor column. 

The scores being added up, it will be found that 
WE have 144 points and they have 266, the differ- 
ence being 122, which is the value of the rubber. 
It is usual to throw off any units below 5 and to 
add to 5 or above, so as to make it even tens. This 
rubber would be called 120 points. 

When stakes are played for, they are either so 
much a point, or so much for ten points or a hun- 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 33 

dred points. Each player pays his right hand 
adversary the full value of the rubber. Playing 
penny points, or a dollar a hundred, we would lose 
$1.20 each on this rubber. 

It will be seen that there is a double object in 
playing bridge; to win tricks enough to get the 
games that win the rubbers, and, to make the rub- 
ber as valuable as possible by adding to the scores 
in the honor column. This honor score must 
never be lost sight of, and is often valuable enough 
to justify the risk of losing something in trick 
points to secure it. 




THE MAKES 

After the cards are dealt, the first thing to do is 
to decide upon a trump suit or to play without a 
trump. The dealer's side always makes the dec- 
laration, the adversaries having nothing to say 
until the trump is declared. 

After examining his cards, the first thing for 
the dealer to do is to compare the possibilities of 
his hand with the necessities of the score, and as 
a general rule, he should never make a declaration 
that cannot possibly win the game. 

He has the choice of five makes, four different 
trump suits, or no trump at all. It is possible 
to win the game from zero with three of these only ; 
no-trumps or one of the red suits. Therefore 
when he is nothing up it is considered bad policy 
for the dealer to declare a black suit, because it is 
impossible for him to win the game, even if he and 
his partner should take every trick. 

But if he is sufficiently advanced in the score 
to make it extremely probable that he can win the 
game with a black suit, he should not hesitate to 
make it clubs or spades. If he is 26 up, for in- 
stance, the odd trick in clubs or two by cards in 
spades will put him out and win the game just as 
well as the odd trick in no-trumps or a red suit. 

While nothing is more important than the make, 
there is always more or less chance or risk about 

34 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 35 

it, because the dealer never knows what he will 
find when the dummy is laid down, or what will 
be held against him. It is impossible to lay down 
any rules that will enable a player to pick out the 
best make every time and one must be satisfied if 
he can select the make which will bring the best 
results in the majority of cases. It is not a ques- 
tion of how the make turns out on a particular deal, 
but whether or not it would turn out well if it were 
persisted in for thirty or forty times. The un- 
certainties of the make is one of the charms of the 
game. Very few persons make good declarations 
until they have had quite a little practice at the 
bridge table. Observation and experience will 
correct their judgment and confirm the general 
principles laid down by the authorities for declara- 
tions, which are here given. 

A good general rule for the beginner, after sort- 
ing his cards and looking at the score, is to see 
whether or not he has five cards of either of the 
red suits. If he has not, it is very seldom a good 
hand upon which to declare a trump, unless the 
score is such that he can run out the game with a 
black trump. 

Suppose that he finds he has five hearts. There 
is a very simple rule for determining whether or 
not he should declare hearts. Count up the num- 
ber of trumps and then add the number of honors 
in the trump suit and then add to this again the 
number of aces and kings in plain suits. If the 
total is eight or more, it is usually a good make. 
For example: 



36 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



^QJ653 ♦QSS 0AK2 ^94 

In this hand there are 5 hearts, 2 honors in 
hearts, and 2 aces and kings in plain suits. The 
total is 9, so it is a very good heart declaration. 
Take this hand : 

^109542 AJIOS 0Q7 ♦ 8 4 3 

There are 5 hearts, i honor, o aces and kings; 
total 6. Therefore it would be a very bad heart 
make. Take this one: 

<;?J87543 ♦KSS 097 ♦QJ 

There are 6 trumps, i honor, i king in plain 
suits, making a total of 8. It is a fair heart make, 
not particularly strong and would be much im- 
proved if the heart honor were higher, or the club 
king were an ace. Such a hand, counting 8 ex- 
actly with the lowest admissible honors in hearts, 
may be called just on the hne. 

In declaring a red suit, it is always an advantage 
to hold honors, because it lessens the probability 
of the adversaries scoring honors against you. In 
some hands the honor score is valuable enough 
to justify the declaration even without five trumps 
or any winning cards in plain suits. For example: 

^AKJ10*J85 0864 4043 

This is undoubtedly a heart make, because the 
honor score alone is worth 64 points, which is 
nearly twice the average value of a hand for trick 
and honor points together. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 37 

When the five-card red suit is diamonds, it is 
not quite as good a declaration as hearts, even if it 
counts eight or more, unless the dealer has some- 
thing scored on the game, or has won the first game 
and does not want to take any chances of losing 
his advantage. To win the game from zero in 
diamonds takes eleven tricks, which is a very diffi- 
cult thing to do, and as a rule a diamond is not a 
good declaration unless there is something valuable 
in the honor score. For instance: 

9? 9 6 2 AASS 0QJ852 ♦108 

While this hand will count up to 8, and is a 
safe make on general principles, it is impossible 
to win the game with it unless dummy lays down 
a very strong hand to support it. If he holds such 
a hand, he must have a better declaration than 
diamonds, if you pass the make to him. With 
these cards: 

^J4 AKTS OAKQIO #9754 

The honor score in diamonds, 48, is enough to 
justify the make, even if the dealer has nothing 
scored. 

If the dealer cannot declare anything better 
than diamonds, he must not forget that if he passes 
the make to his partner there are two better makes 
and two worse which are possible and it is an even 
chance that dummy has a better call than diamonds. 
For this reason many good players are averse to 
declaring diamonds unless they hold six trumps 



SS THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

and some tricks in plain suits, or four honors m 
one hand. 

When there is no suit of five red cards the dealer 
has the choice of calHng no-trumps or passing the 
make to his partner. 

The best no-trumpers are what are called ^'bro- 
ken hands"; that is, hands in which the strength 
in high cards is distributed among several suits. 
In no-trumpers, aces are the most valuable cards, 
not only because of their trick-winning possibilities 
but on account of the honor score. 

Four aces should always declare no trumps, 
regardless of the strength in the other suits. Even 
with such a hand as this: 

^AQJ104 *A64 0A87 ♦AQ 

It is much better to call no-trumps than hearts, 
not only because loo aces are better than 64 honors 
in hearts, but because it takes one less trick to win 
the game at no trump. 

Three aces should always declare no-trumps 
unless the heart suit is very strong. For instance: 

^AJ862 ♦A97 0A53 #102 

While this hand will count up to 9 as a heart 
declaration, it is a better no-trumper because of 
the honor score for 30 aces and the greater ease of 
winning the game with three tricks. 

Two aces is not a good no-trumper unless there 
is ''protection'' in a third suit. Protection means 
high cards enough to be certain of preventing the 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 39 

adversaries from running the suit down against 
you. For example: 

(:?A54 *A8632 0KQ97 #4. 

The third suit, diamonds, is absolutely protected 
and this is a very good no-trumper, much better 
than a diamond. It is true that there is no pro- 
tection in spades, but something must always be 
risked. If a player waits until he is protected in 
all four suits before he will call no-trumps, he will 
miss many a chance for a good score. ^ 

No-trumpers in which the protection is in the 
red suits are always better than those in which 
it is in the black suits. For instance: 

cr? 6 4 AASTS 0KJ2 ♦A974 

While this hand is a no-trumper, it is not as 
good as the foregoing, because of the weakness in 
hearts and the sHght protection in diamonds. 

To declare no-trumps with only one ace, two 
other suits should be very strong. Such a hand 
would be: 

^864 *KQJ86 0A5 ♦KQIO 

If the suits are not strong, but only protected, 
the protection should be in all three suits to justify 
calling no-trumps w^ith only one ace. For instance: 

^ Ae *K975 0KJ42 ♦QJIO 
Such a hand as this has great possibilities, but 



40 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

has also great weaknesses. The best excuse for 
declaring no-trumps on such cards is, that they 
are too strong to pass. 

To declare no trumps without an ace is very 
risky, not only on account of the honor score being 
probably against you, but on account of the diffi- 
culty of getting a hand into working order in which 
you do not hold the command of any suit. To 
justify such a make there should be at least two 
good honors in every suit, three of them kings. 

The dealer may sometimes declare no-trumps 
when he has only two suits if they are both very 
good ones, or if there is anything desperate in the 
state of the score to urge him to such a make. 
Suppose the adversaries 20 or 24 up to his nothing, 
the dealer might call no-trumps on these cards: 

^432 AAK2 0432 ♦AKQ2 

There are five tricks in this hand, and if dummy 
can protect the red suit that is opened against it, 
or has any good five-card suit, it is probable that 
this will work out much better as a no-trumper 
than anything else. If the dealer passes with such 
a hand, and finds the dummy strong enough to 
declare a red suit, that suit ought to be even more 
useful to support an original no-trumper called by 
the dealer. With these cards: 

^A3 *65 0972 ♦AKQS76 

No-trump is a good call if the score is against 
the dealer, because if he ever gets in he can win six 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 41 

tricks in spades, and dummy must have an abso- 
lutely worthless hand if he cannot protect either 
clubs or diamonds. 

No-trumpers which are declared on two suits are 
usually called ''sporty no-trumpers/' because there 
is an unusual risk in them and they come to grief 
about as often as they go through. They are good 
makes when the dealer has lost the first game or the 
score is against him on the rubber game. They 
are not so good when the dealer is a game in or 
ahead on the score. When the dealer is protected 
in three suits, he asks his partner to help him in 
one only, and that one may never be led; but 
when he declares on two suits only, he asks dummy 
to protect the other two, and it is an even chance 
that the adversaries will hit the spot that is weak 
in both hands. It is a serious disadvantage to 
let the adversaries go out on your deal and start 
the next game on their own deal, and unless there 
is some need for a bold dash to win the game, 
sporty no-trumpers should be avoided. 

It is very seldom right for the dealer to declare 
a black suit when he has nothing scored, four or 
five honors in clubs and no protection in any of 
the other suits being about the only excuse. For 
instance : 

^64 AAKQ1075 083 #982 

If the make is passed with such cards, dummy 
will very hkely call a red suit on average strength, 
perhaps with only two honors, and the odd trick 
will be the most that can be made, the adversaries 



42 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

scoring honors. Calling clubs originally, the hand 
should make at least two by cards, which is equal 
to the odd trick in hearts, and 32 in honors. 

When the dealer is sufficiently advanced in the 
score to have a fair chance to win the game, black 
suits are often the safest declarations. If dummy 
turns out to have been strong enough to make a 
better call, his strength should simply make the 
winning of the game all the more certain. Sup- 
pose the dealer is 20 up and holds these cards: 

^K75 AAQJ972 064 ♦84 

He is much more likely to make three by cards 
and the game with clubs trumps than he is to find 
dummy with a better call, because it will take two 
tricks in either of the red suits to win the game. 

Spades are never a good call for the dealer unless 
the score is 24 or better in his favor. With these 
cards: 

^3 4^ *K8 0975 ♦AKQJ42 

The honor score in spades is not worth anything 
and it is impossible to make more than 14 points 
on the hand, even if dummy is strong enough to 
help out a grand slam. Almost anything dummy 
may declare will be better than spades. If he 
calls a red suit, the spades should be strong sup- 
porting cards, and if he has a no-trumper, the 
game should be a certainty. 

Some persons, even good players, beheve it pays 
to call an original spade when they have nothing. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 43 

The theory is, that if the make is passed, dummy 
will very Hkely call a weak red suit or no-trumper, 
and the dealer having nothing to support it, the 
hand will go to pieces. With a very rash player 
for a partner, or a very poor maker, this excuse 
might hold; but the chance of spoiling a paying 
declaration in the dummy hand by calKng an 
original spade is greater than of inviting a losing 
declaration by passing it. The only point in 
favor of an original spade is, that when the dealer 
passes the make, he must have something in his 
hand, or he would not have passed it. 

In some clubs it is the custom when spades are 
declared and not doubled by the adversaries, not 
to play the hand, if the score of neither side has 
reached 20. The honors are shown and scored 
to whichever side holds them, and the declaring 
side scores the odd trick, 2 points. If either side 
is 20 or more, however, or if the make is doubled, 
the hand must be played. This is called ^^the 
spade convention," and one should always ask 
if it is played. 

PASSED MAKES 

When the dealer passes the make, the first thing 
for dummy to do is to look at the score. If the 
score is normal, the dealer probably has a hand 
below the average and has passed on general prin- 
ciples, but if the score is decidedly against the 
dealer, such as 24 to o, the object of passing is 
perhaps to see if the dummy cannot stretch a point 



44 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

and call a no-trumper or a strong heart make, so 
as to pull the game out of the fire. 

Dummy should always declare no trump with four 
aces, and almost invariably with three, the excep- 
tion being when he has a better heart call or a large 
honor score in diamonds, such as five in one hand. 
With these cards, for instance: 

^AKJ652 *A4 0973 ♦A82 

Hearts is a safer call than no-trumps, and if 
the dealer has any honor in hearts, nothing will be 
lost on the honor score. Beginners lose a great 
many points by calling no-trumps on hands which 
are safer heart makes. 

No trumpers with only tw^o aces are good declara- 
tions for dummy provided both the red suits are 
protected. When the dealer passes the make, he 
is more likely to be v/eak in the red suits than in 
anything else and to call no-trumps without pro- 
tection in the red suits, especially hearts, is usually 
a losing game. With these cards, for instance: 

^76 ♦AK975 0K53 ♦ASS 

The strength in the black suits is not what the 
dealer wants, because if he has anything it is in 
those suits and if dummy declares no-trumps on 
the black suits, it is even more risky than the 
dealer's calling no-trumps on two suits. But with 
these cards: 

^AQ4 AAS 0KJ4 ♦97542 

A no-trumper is a very fair risk, because dummy 
protects both the red suits and if the dealer has 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 45 

anything in the black suits the two hands should 
fit each other very well. '^With both red suits 
stopped, trust your partner for the blacks," is a 
common maxim for the dummy's makes, especially 
when the score is against him. 

It will turn out occasionally that the dealer 
has passed with all-round weakness or that he has 
a lot of small red cards, not good enough to de- 
clare on, but the dummy must take that chance. 
It is not to be expected that the dummy's declar- 
ations will fit the dealer's hand every time, any 
more than the dealer's declaration will always fit 
dummy's. 

One ace is seldom a good no-trump call for 
dummy unless he has both the red suits stopped, 
but with such cards as these: 

^AJIO *KQ4 0KQ2 ♦8652 

No-trump is a much better call than anything 
else. It would be folly to waste such a hand on a 
spade, unless the odd trick would win the game. 

It is usually bad policy for dummy to risk a no- 
trumper on two suits unless the long suit is dia- 
monds. The dealer may take the chance, because 
his hand is concealed and his weakness is never 
exposed, but the dummy betrays his weak spots 
the moment a card is led. If the long suit is hearts, 
it is always a better and safer heart make. For 
instance : 

c:?AKQ642 ASS 0542 ♦AQ 

While it is true that there are seven tricks in this 
hand if dummy ever gets in, the dealer must win 



46 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

two to go game at no-trump. If he can win two 
tricks, it should be a safer and easier game hand 
with hearts for trumps. But if the long suit is 
diamonds: 

9? A 3 *95 0AKQ642 #874 

It is much more probable that the game can be 
won at no-trump than at diamonds. To go game 
in diamonds the dealer must be able to win four 
tricks, whereas two tricks in his hand will win the 
game at no-trump. If the strength is in the black 
suits: 

^64 AAS 0853 ♦AKQ952 

It is rather a dangerous no-trumper unless the 
score is against the dealer's side, but if the ace of 
clubs were the ace of hearts, it would be a fair risk. 
It is the weakness in the red suits which makes it 
a bad no-trumper for dummy to call unless he 
feels that he must have a no-trumper or nothing 
at the score. 

When it comes to calling trump suits, dummy- 
must be careful to have at least two honors, or 
else to have six or more trumps in his hand. Even 
with five cards of a red suit, dummy should not 
call it unless he has at least two honors, or very 
good outside cards, almost a no-trumper. For 
example: 

^J8642 *K7 0Q42 ♦853 

Hearts would be a very weak call for dummy. 
The hand cannot be counted to more than seven. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 47 

It is calling hearts on hands like this that drives 
the dealer to an original spade. 

Dummy may call a red suit with only four trumps, 
if he has the honors and some outside strength. 

^KQ86 *K43 0975 ♦A52 

This is too good a hand to waste on a spade but 
not quite good enough to call no-trumps. The 
two tricks in plain suits make it a fair heart make, 
even with only four. 

When dummy has no cards to justify a good 
call, his object must be to lose as little as possible 
on the deal. With these cards, for instance: 

^J864 ^97 0Q65 ♦AJ32 

It would be folly to risk a no-trumper, and the 
only resource is a spade. 

Sometimes it is a close choice between spades 
and clubs, but it is usually better to select the 
longer suit, provided the shorter one has high 
cards in it. For instance: 

^753 A96432 01O2 ♦AQJ 

This is a better club call than a spade, because 
trumps can win tricks, no matter how small they 
are. If it is made a spade, the club suit is good 
for nothing. With equal numbers: 

^82 *AK75 0963 #8732 

It is a better spade make than club, because 
the high cards in clubs are good for tricks as 
plain suits. 



k 



4S THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



DOUBLING 

Once the declaration has been legitimately 
made by the dealer or his partner, the adversaries 
cannot change it, but they can double the value 
of the tricks by ''going over." If the dealer calls 
hearts, and the eldest hand thinks that he and not 
the dealer will get the odd trick, he can say "I go 
over" or "I double," making each trick worth 
1 6 points instead of 8. This gives the dealer's 
side the privilege of redoubling, making hearts 
worth 32. If the dealer does not wish to redouble, 
he must say he is ''content" and then the dummy 
can redouble. If he will not, the eldest hand 
leads a card. The various irregularities that 
may arise in doubling and redoubhng are dealt 
with in the Laws. 

Doubhng does not affect any of the scores in 
the honor column. All that can be doubled is 
the value of the trick points that count toward 
game. 

If the eldest hand does not wish to double,^ he 
must give his partner a chance to do so by asking, 
''Shall I play?" If the pone wishes to double he 
says so, otherwise he says "If you please." If the 
pone doubles, the dealer's side can redouble, of 
course. There is no legal Hmit to doubhng, but 
in most Clubs there is an unwritten law that it 
shall stop at 100 points for each trick. 

The declaration and doubling, if any, settled, 
the eldest hand leads a card, and the dummy 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 49 

then lays his thirteen cards face upwards on the 
table. 

It is very seldom good poHcy for the eldest hand 
to double a no-trumper on general strength be- 
cause if the dealer once gets in he may run down 
a long suit and the leader will then have to discard 
a number of winning cards that he counted on for 
tricks. For instance: 

9?KQJ104 AKJT 085 ♦AKS 

Suppose that with these cards the eldest hand 
should double a no-trump call and lead a heart. 
If he found the dealer with the cards shown on 
page 46, what would he discard on the six leads 
of diamonds? 

The best hands upon which to double no-trump- 
ers are those in which the leader has a solid suit to 
start with, such as six or seven, headed by A K Q, 
or hands in which a suit can be cleared in one lead 
and there are plenty of useless cards to discard if 
the dealer gets in. Such a hand as this: 

9? A 4 A&e 053 ♦KQJ10762 

One lead of spades establishes the suit, and the 
leader can then discard five times without reducing 
the value of his hand a particle. 

To double a red trump declaration there should 
be at least five tricks in the leader's hand and a 
probable sixth. Even then it is not a safe double 
unless the hand contains four trumps, two of them 
honors. 



so THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

To double clubs, there should be at least five 
tricks in the hand, two of them in trumps. 

To double a spade there should be at least four 
tricks in the hand, and one of them should be in 
trumps. 

Greater chances may be taken in doubling if 
the score is such that the odd trick wins the game 
for the dealer's side without doubling its value, 
but will not win it for the leader's side unless he 
doubles. 

Suppose the score is 26 to 22 in favor of the 
dealer when dummy calls clubs. If the leader 
thinks he has a fair chance to win the odd trick, 
he should double, because the odd wins the game 
for the dealer without doubling, but it must be made 
worth 8 to win the game for the leader's side. 

In doubling, it must not be forgotten that the 
dealer can redouble and in certain states of the 
score this risk cannot be taken. For example: 
The dealer is 22 up to the leader's 26 when dummy 
calls spades. If the leader doubles on the chance 
of going game with the odd trick, the dealer will 
certainly redouble, so as to have an even chance 
of winning if he gets the trick. At such a score, 
the leader should let the make stand, as the deal- 
er's side must get four by cards to win the game, 
whereas if there is no doubhng, the leader has the 
next deal. 

The pone doubles on much the same strength 
as the leader, except that in no-trumpers it is the 
general custom for the eldest hand to lead a heart 
if the pone doubles. When this convention pre- 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 51 

vails, the pone should never double a no-trumper 
unless he is willing that the eldest hand should lead 
his best heart. In some places, when the pone 
doubles, the eldest hand leads his shortest or 
weakest suit, on the chance that it is the pone's 
strong suit, and the one he most likely doubled on. 
Players should ask which custom prevails. 

In estimating the possibilities of the hand, both 
adversaries must remember that more tricks are 
probable, especially in trumps, when the make 
is on the right than when it is on the left. To 
play after the strong hand is always better than to 
play before it. 



THE ADVERSARIES' PLAY 

LEADING 

The principles that govern the selection of the 
opening lead depend on whether the declaration 
is a trump or a no-trumper. 

The best openings against trump calls are those 
that get a look at dummy's cards without losing 
the lead. Such combinations as A K Q; A K; 
A Q J are the most desirable. Any two or three 
honors in sequence are good openings, such as 
K Q J; Q J lo; K Q; Q J. Two honors which 
are not in sequence, such as A Q; K J; Q lo, are 
not good suits to open and should be avoided un- 
less they are long suits, five cards or more. 

LEADING AGAINST TRUMPS 

In leading against a trump call, the object is to 
make the winning cards before the dealer gets rid 
of his losing ones, and to find out what suit the 
pone can trump, before the dealer gets in and takes 
his trumps away from him. 

The leader must also show his partner w^iat 
strength he has in plain suits, giving him the 
most accurate information possible. It is foolish 
to object that this information is also given to the 
dealer, because the dealer knows exactly what is 

52 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 53 

against him the moment dummy's cards are laid 
on the table. 

The rules for leading against a trump call are 
few and simple. 

Never lead trumps unless you have tenace in all 
the other suits, or unless your partner has doubled. 

A tenace is A Q or K J. The advantage of 
holding it depends on its being led up to and 
not led away from. Take such a hand as this, 
hearts called by dealer: 

9?863 AAQS 0K92 ♦KJ74 

The best opening is the trump, as you hold over 
the dealer in all the plain suits with your tenaces 
and guarded king of diamonds. 

Always lead from two or more honors in sequence. 

If one of these honors is the king, always lead 
it first, no matter what the other high cards are. 
From such combinations as the following, for in- 
stance: 



A KQ J 


KQ J 5 


A KQ 4 


K Q107 


A K 6 2 


KQ 8 3 



No matter how many cards in the suit, the best 
lead from any of these is the king. The partner 
will know that you hold the card next the king, 
either ace or queen or both. 

If the card led wins the first trick, follow it wdth 
the lowest card that will win the next trick, if you 
still hold more than one winning card. From 
A K Q J, having led the K, follow wdth the J. By 



54 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

your K winning, your partner knows you have the 
ace. Tell him the cards he does not know; that 
your J is as good as the A. 

From A K Q, follow K with Q, which denies 

the J. 

From A K, follow with A, which denies the Q. 

From K Q J, follow K with J, never with a small 
card. Be particularly careful about this lead. 

From K Q lo, or K Q, as you have no winning 
card to go on with and have not the second and 
third-best, go on with your original fourth-best, 
counting from the top. This will deny both A 

and J. 

By following this system, your partner can tell 
exactly what combination of cards you lead from. 

If you have no king lead and open a suit contain- 
ing the ace, always lead the ace first. 

From A Q J, lead ace and then Q. 

From A Q, or A J, or ace without any other high 
card, always lead ace first and then fourth-best. 

From Q J lo, or Q J 9, or Q J, always lead the 
Q, which denies any higher card in the hand. 

From K J 10, lead the 10. This is the only 10 
lead. 

The J is always led as the top of nothing, or from 
short suits headed by J 10 or J only. 

From any suit in which you have not two honors 
in sequence and have not the ace, you must begin 
with the fourth-best, counting from the top. From 
Q 8 7 4 2, for instance, lead the 4. The reasons 
for selecting this particular card and not the lowest 
of the suit will be explained presently. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 55 

In opening against a called trump, the selection 
of a suit may be influenced by the position of the 
make. If the dealer declares, the general prin- 
ciples of leading should be followed, beginning 
with the longest suit if you have no winning cards. 
But if the dealer has passed the make, it is usual 
to assume that he is stronger in the black suits than 
in the red, and it is therefore safer to lead a red 
suit up to him than a black one. With these cards 
to lead from, dummy declaring diamonds: 

9? Q 6 4 2 *A5 0KS2 ♦KIOTS 

The heart is a better opening than the spade, 
because it is always better to lead up to weakness. 
But if a black suit contains high cards, it may be 
opened in preference to a weak red suit. Suppose 
the leader holds these cards, dummy calling dia- 
monds : 

^KQ75 *94 0862 ♦AKQS 

The spade king is a better opening than the heart 
king, because it holds the lead until dummy's cards 
are laid down. Some players will never lead a small 
card of a black suit up to a hand that has passed 
th€ make, unless the black card is a singleton. 

Some players are very fond of trying to get in 
their little trumps by opening a short suit. With 
weak trumps and no good winning cards to lead, 
this may be all very well, but one should never 
play to get a ruff when one holds four trumps. It 
is better to open the long suit, which may force 
the strong trump hand. 



S6 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



LEADING AGAINST NO-TRUMPERS 

In leading against no-trumpers, there is no hurry 
to save your good cards; they cannot be trumped. 
The best opening leads, both for attack and de- 
fense, are the longest suits. 

When two suits are equal in length, it is usually 
better to open the weaker first, keeping the stronger 
to get into the lead with, unless the stronger suit 
is headed by at least three winning cards. 

^K9 *8 0J1O732 ♦AK854 

If the ace and king of spades are led first and 
the queen does not fall, the rest of the hand is dead. 
By starting the diamonds they may be established, 
the high spades bringing them into play. 

A suit is established when you can take all the 
rest of the tricks in it, no matter who leads it. 

At no-trumps, never lead an honor unless there 
are three of them in the suit. With only two honors 
at the head of the suit, such as A K; K Q; A Q; 
K J ; always begin with the fourth-best. 

But with three honors, always lead one of them. 
WithAKQ; AKJ; KQJ; KQio; QJio,lead 
the Q from the last, the K from all the others. 

Holding A Q J, lead the ace first only when you 
have a winning card in another suit. Otherwise 
begin with the Q, so as to get the K out of the way 
at once. 

From all suits headed by one or two honors only. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 57 

always lead the fourth-best, counting from the top. 
The fourth-best would be the 4 in each of these: 

AK742 KQ843 AJ942 

K8742 Q10843 J10642 

The reasons for selecting this card will be ap- 
parent when we come to the Eleven Rule. 



THIRD HAND PLAY 

The third hand varies his play according to the 
declaration, trumps or no-trumps. Of course, he 
will win all the tricks he can, but if his partner 
is winning tricks in one suit he must show what he 
can do in other suits, or what he can trump. 

THIRD HAND, TRUMPS CALLED 

In playing on the leader's suits, third hand must 
do one of two things; win the trick if he can, or, 
if he makes no attempt to win it, show his partner 
how many he has of the suit led and whether or 
not he can trump the third round. 

Take the simplest case first, when the eldest 
hand leads winning cards. If the third hand holds 
three or more of the suit, he plays his lowest, no 
matter what the cards are; but if he holds two 
only, neither of them an honor, he plays the higher 
of the two first. This is called the ^^down-and-out 
echo." An example will show how it works. The 
leader is A: 



ss 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



On the K led, B plays the 9 and next time the 
2. Even if the dealer false-cards the J and Q on 
the first two rounds, the dealer knows that B has 
no more and can trump. 




4. 4. 

4- 4- 
4- 4- 


4- 4* 
4. 4- 



4. ^ 



4-4-4^4^ 
4" 4*4* 4" 




z 


A 
B 


Y 




+ + * 
* + + 




4* 4* 4* 

4* 
4- 4* 4- 




4- 4- 4- 





4*.4» 
4. •^4. 



The down-and-out echo should never be played 
if one of the two cards held by the third hand is an 
honor. With jack and another, for instance, the 
leader will know if the small card is played the 
first time and the jack falls on the second round 
that his partner must have the queen or no more. 
The echo is unnecessary. 

If the leader's card is won by the dummy, so 
that third hand cannot win it, third hand plays in 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 59 

the same way, using the down-and-out echo with 
two only. 

When the leader begins with small cards and 
the third hand tries to win the trick, he must al- 
ways play the best card he holds, or one in sequence 
with it. He should never finesse. Finessing is 
trying to win a trick with a card which is not the 
best you hold. With A Q, for instance, partner 
leading small, to play the Q would be to finesse, 
if the K was not in dummy. If dealer has the K, 
the Q is thrown away. If the leader has it, the 
play does not matter, so always play the ace and 
make sure of the trick. 

If dummy lays down the intermediate card, 
there is no finesse. Suppose dummy lays down 
the Q and others, and third hand holds K J, the 
J is not a finesse but a certainty, if dummy does 
not put on the queen. 

With two or more high cards in sequence, third 
hand must always play the lowest. With A K; 
or K Q J, to play the ace from the first or the king 
from the second would only deceive the partner. 

THIRD HAND, NO-TRUMPS 

When a small card is led, third hand does his 
best to win the trick, always playing the lowest of 
a winning sequence, never finessing, and always 
trying to estimate what his partner holds. 

When the third hand makes no attempt to win 
the trick, either because his partner or dummy 
plays cards higher than any third hand holds, all 



6o THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

that is left to do is to unblock. That is, to get out 
of the way of the partner's long suit. 

The rule for doing this is very simple. 

Always play the second-best card on the first 
round, keeping the lowest card for the last round 
of all. If third hand holds only two, the second- 
best will be his lowest, of course; but if he holds 
three or four the lowest must be kept until the last. 
With 983 the 8 is played first, then the 9. With 
9832 the 8 is played first, then the 3, which is 
now the second-best, always keeping the 2. 

The same principle is carried out no matter 
how high the cards held by third hand. If the 
leader begins with the king and third hand holds 
Q 10 2, the 10 should be played to the king. The 
leader must have A J. 

Even if dummy wins the trick second hand, the 
third hand must still unblock. Suppose the lead 
is a small card and dummy plays ace, third hand 
holding K Q 3, the Q must be given up on the first 
trick. 

This is called the ^'plain-suit echo'' and its ad- 
vantage lies in the fact that the dealer can always 
tell just how the high cards in his long suit are 
distributed. This echo is one of the most impor- 
tant things for the beginner to learn. 

RETURN LEADS 

When the third hand returns his partner's suit 
he should do so with the higher of two cards and 
the lowest of three, unless he holds the best card, 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 6l 

in which case he should lead it. If he holds two 
cards which are the second and third-best, such 
as the Q J after the K has been played, he should 
lead one of those two cards, so as to prevent any 
but the best card of the suit from winning a trick. 

When the pone holds any card which is better 
than any of the suit in the dummy, he should 
usually lead it. For example: Eldest hand leads a 
small club, and third hand wins the first trick 
with the K, holding K lo 42, dummy still having 
the 9 and 5 on the table. The proper return lead 
would be the 10, not the 2, because the 10 beats 
dummy's 9, and if the dealer does not cover the 
10 the eldest hand will let it win and the dealer 
will be led through again. If the 2 is returned 
the eldest hand will have to play an honor to shut 
out dummy's 9 and will have to lead away from 
his suit, perhaps to his great disadvantage. 

When the third hand does not return his part- 
ner's suit, he can either lead a strong suit of his 
own, or he can lead up to the weak suit in the 
dummy. If dummy is not very weak in anything, 
it is better to lead up to aces than to guarded kings. 

Whether or not to return a suit, or what suit to 
play, is a matter of judgment that can come only 
with experience. 

The pone can lead trumps much more freely 
than the eldest hand, provided the dealer has de- 
clared, because the third hand is going through 
the dealer's strength. A trump lead is often nec- 
essary to prevent dummy from making a losing 
trump. 



62 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

As a rule, when the dealer has been in the lead 
and has not played trumps, it is good policy to lead 
a trump through whichever is the stronger hand in 
trumps, because there must be some object in not 
leading trumps, and this can be defeated only by 
forcing the dealer's side to play trumps. 

THE ELEVEN RULE 

I was the inventor of this rule, which was origi- 
nally used in whist and found to be so useful that no 
one could consider himself a player who was not 
familiar with it. In bridge, the eleven rule has 
been found to be invaluable, and is now explained 
in every text book and taught by every expert at 
the game. 

Arrange any suit of four or more cards how you 
please and deduct the number of spots on the 
fourth-best from eleven and you will always find 
that the remainder will equal the number of cards, 
higher than this fourth-best, which the leader does 
NOT hold. 

This being so, it is obvious that by deducting 
from II the spots on any card led, the third hand 
can always tell how many cards, higher than the 
one led, are out against his partner's suit. 

All that remains for him to do is to look if any 
of those higher cards are in his own hand or in the 
dummy and to infer that if there are any others, 
they must be in the dealer's hand. If the third 
hand and the dummy have as many higher cards 
as the difference between the card led and eleven, 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



63 



the dealer cannot have any. An example will 
make this clear. A leads, let us say the 7 of any 
suit. 







© 




* 



Deducting the 7 from 11 leaves 4 higher cards 
than the seven, led. Dummy has 2 higher, the 
third hand has 2. These added together make 4, 
so that the dealer cannot have any higher than the 
7. Therefore, if dummy does not cover the 7 with 
the 8, third hand can play the 3 with absolute cer- 
tainty that the 7 will hold the trick. If dummy 
covers with the 8, third hand wins with the 10. 
If dummy plays the J, third hand wins with the 
ace. In any case, no matter what dummy plays, 
A and B are absolutely certain to win every trick 
in the suit, whereas if dummy plays small and third 



64 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



hand plays ace on the first round, dummy's jack 
stops the suit and wins a trick. 

This rule is absolutely infallible. Any person 
can demonstrate that for himself by laying out the 
cards. That it is of the greatest importance and 
usefulness in enabling the third hand to count his 
partner's suit is universally admitted. 

One application of the eleven rule is to show 
the third hand whether it is better worth while to 
pursue his partner's suit or to play his own. Sup- 
pose that the rule shows the dealer to have three 
high cards still against the leader's suit, while the 
third hand has a suit which can be cleared in one 
lead, it is obviously better to abandon the suit first 
opened. 

The eleven rule is also useful in enabling the 
third hand to detect false cards played by the dealer. 
Suppose A leads the 6 of any suit. 






B 












THE GIST OF BRIDGE 6$ 

Third hand plays the lo and the dealer wins 
with the ace. The 6 says there are 5 cards out 
against the leader, higher than the one he leads. 
Only 4 of these are shown. The dealer cannot have 
either Q or J or he would not waste the ace. The 
leader cannot have K Q J, or he would have led 
the king, so the dealer must hold the king, and no 
other high card. 



SECOND HAND PLAY 

Second hand play on the dealer's leads is very 
simple for the eldest hand, because all he has to 
do is to look at dummy's cards and beat them if 
he can. He should always protect himself by 
playing one of two honors in sequence, so as to 
prevent the dummy from winning the trick too 
cheaply. Suppose dummy holds A J and others 
and the eldest hand holds K Q, he should put in 
the Q second hand. 

The pone must protect himself by good second 
hand play when dummy leads through him. He 
should always cover an honor with an honor and 
play one of two honors in sequence unless dummy 
leads a higher card than either of them. 

Holding the card above and the one below the 
one led, second hand should always cover, such as 
holding Q 10 when a jack is led. This is called a 
fourchette. 

The dealer need not cover second hand if he has 



66 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

equally good cards in the fourth hand, unless he 
wants the lead in a particular hand. 

It is usually bad play to put a single honor sec- 
ond hand on a small card led, unless you want the 
lead, or the card is the best of the suit. Holding 
the king only once guarded in a no-trumper is an 
exception. It may be the only chance to make it 
if there is nothing in the fourth hand. 



FOURTH HAND PLAY 

The adversaries have very little to do as fourth 
hand on any trick, except to win it if they can, but 
the dealer will often hold off a suit for one or two 
rounds. 

The most usual cases for this play are: when he 
wants to exhaust the third hand in the leader's suit 
at no-trumps; and when he wants to make a tenace 
in a suit which is not a tenace at the start. 

By letting a suit run, when he can win only one 
trick in it in any case, the dealer may exhaust one 
adversary, and then he has only one to play against, 
but if he takes the first trick, no matter which ad- 
versary gets into the lead after that, they run off 
the suit first opened. 

When the original leader opens a suit at no- 
trumps with the king, from K Q lo and others, 
and the dealer holds A J and another, if he lets the 
king win the first trick, his A J become a tenace, 
good for two tricks. But if he wins the first trick, 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 67 

his jack may be led through and caught. This 
method of holding up on the leader's suit is called 
the ''Bath Coup.'' It can be played in the same 
way when the ace is in one hand and the jack in 
the other. 

DISCARDING 

When a player cannot follow suit, he may either 
trump, if there are any trumps, or he may discard 
anything he pleases. 

The dealer does not want any advice about dis- 
cards, because he sees both hands and knows ex- 
actly what suits he must keep and what he can 
afford to throw away. 

The best rule for the adversaries is to discard 
always from the best protected suit, trumps or 
no-trumps. It is much more important to protect 
the weak suits than to keep all the cards in the 
strong suit, because it is your weak suit and not 
your strong one that the dealer will attack when he 
is done with the one on which you have to discard. 

The adversaries should be particularly careful 
to keep one or two guards to a queen or a jack; 
even three to a ten may be useful. 

In discarding on your partner's winning cards, 
you tell him what suit you would like him to lead 
when he shifts and it takes only one discard to 
show him. If you discard weakness, he must guess 
between two suits, and when he guesses wrongly 
the result may be disastrous, 



68 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



DEALER AND DUMMY 

The dealer has to plan in advance for the play 
of the whole hand, the moment the dummy's cards 
are laid down. He must compare the sure tricks 
with the state of the score, and count up how many 
more he wants to win the game; then he must 
scheme for the best way to get them. 

With a declared trump, he has the choice of two 
methods, to get out the trumps at once or to play 
for a suit first. At no-trumps, he has usually the 
choice of one or two suits at least and his selection 
of the suit to begin on must depend on their re- 
spective possibiHties and the number of tricks nec- 
essary to win the game at the score. 



PLAYING NO-TRUMPERS 

Unless the dealer is afraid of some particular 
suit, which he sees is entirely against him but is 
not the one opened, he should always start out by 
playing for the suit of which he has the greatest 
number of cards, counting his own hand and the 
dummy's together. The reason for this is, that 
the more he has of any given suit, the more easy 
it is to exhaust the cards held in it by the ad- 
versaries. 

When the dealer is afraid of a suit, it is better 
to make his winning cards in other suits first, so as 
to be sure of saving the game. For instance : Sup- 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 69 

pose the 6 of clubs is led at no-trump and the 
dummy lays down these cards: 

Dummy: 9?Q86543 *95 08 ♦A932 
Dealer: 9?KJ2 ♦AQ4 064 ♦KQJS^ 

Winning the first round of clubs with his tenace, 
the usual hne of play would be to estabhsh the 
heart suit while the dealer still held the command 
of the adversaries' club suit. But it is evident that 
no matter which adversary holds the ace of hearts, 
he will at once open the diamonds, making at least 
five tricks in that suit, perhaps six or seven. The 
dealer cannot take this risk, and must make his 
five tricks in spades before touching the hearts, 
so as to save the game. 

If there is no particular danger of this kind, 
the dealer should always start his longest suit, but 
he must be careful to play it in such a manner as to 
get the most out of it. 

He should always lead from the weak hand to 
the strong; that is, from the hand which has the 
lower cards to the one that has the higher, and he 
must be careful when one hand is much longer in 
the suit than the other to get rid of the high cards 
in the short hand. When the lead can be placed 
in either hand in one suit, he should plan it so that 
it shall be in the hand which can open a fresh suit 
to the best advantage. 

If there are equal high cards in each hand, but 
none of them the best of the suit, such as K in one 
hand, Q J in the other, it is never necessary to lead 



70 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

a high card to force out the ace. Lead a small 
one, and perhaps the ace will be played second 
hand, making K Q J all good for tricks. If it is not, 
it will be time enough to play a high card third 
hand. 

When the dealer holds a suit in which it is evi- 
dent that he must inevitably lose one trick, per- 
haps two, he should lose them on the first round, 
not on the third. Holding A K and four small 
cards in one hand, only two small in the other, for 
instance, the adversaries must make one trick. 
By giving them the first one, both hands still have 
that suit to lead, if either gets in again; but if the 
A K are led right out, the hand with the tail end 
of the suit must get in itself. 

PLAYING TRUMP HANDS 

When the dealer's side has declared a trump, it 
is usually best to get the adversaries' trumps away 
from them at the first opportunity. 

The exceptions to this rule are: when the dealer 
sees a chance to make one of the small trumps in 
the hand which is short of trumps; and when he 
wants to get the lead into the other hand before 
playing trumps. 

When there are no winning cards in plain suits 
to protect, the dealer may not care to get the trumps 
out, but will play for a cross ruff instead, trying 
to make his trumps separately, instead of knock- 
ing them together. 

When the dealer has losing cards in a plain suit 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



71 



which he sees he can discard on the winning cards 
of another plain suit, it is usually best to do so 
before leading trumps, unless he holds all the 
winning trumps. 

FINESSING 

The adversaries of the dealer never finesse, for 
reasons already explained, but the dealer does a 
great deal of finessing; in fact it is the only way 
in which he can make tricks which are not on the 
face of the cards. 

When the dealer plans to take a finesse, he must 
always have the lead in the right hand, leading to 
an A Q or A Q J, instead of leading from it. It is 
often necessary to play the cards in such a manner 
that if the first finesse holds, the same hand shall 
lead again so as to take a second finesse. This 
may be done by leading another suit to get the 
other hand in, or it may be done in the same suit. 
For instance: 



In one hand 



In the other; 



^M.1 
w 




i 




4- ^ 

4. "^4. 

4. 4- 
















4.'4. 




4- 



4* 

4. 4. 

4. 4. 



By leading the ten from the weak hand and play- 
ing the 9 on it, not the 7, if the king is on the left 



72 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 

it must be caught, even if it is three times guarded, 
because by going on with the 8 and playing the 7 
on it the lead is kept in the weak hand until the 
third round. 

With nine cards of a suit between the two hands 
a finesse is seldom right, as the higher card will 
often drop. The dealer always finesses against 
the hand he is afraid of, not against his partner. 
If the dealer knows there are three winning cards 
of a suit on his left, there being no more on his 
right, he will take any finesse that might let the 
player on his right into the lead, but would be very 
foolish to take a finesse that would let in the player 
on his left. 

RE-ENTRY CARDS 

In playing for a long suit, the dealer must be care- 
ful to look ahead far enough to see how he is going 
to get into the lead and make it after it is estab- 
lished. When he can win the first trick in either 
hand, he should always look to see which hand is 
more likely to want the winning card later in the 
game, and play accordingly. 



ILLUSTRATIVE HANDS 

The following hands will give the reader a very 
fair idea of how the principles laid down in the 
foregoing pages are carried out in practice. 

The best way to study them is to sort out the 
actual cards, thirteen for each hand, first, and then 
to play them as you think they would naturally 
be played, afterward playing them as here shown. 
The notes will explain the reason for the plays that 
arise. 

For those who wish further practice in the tac- 
tics of the game and feel able to go further into the 
fine points of its strategy, there is no better practice 
than a pack of the self-playing bridge cards, in 
which there are 128 hands, all different. These 
cards will play with you exactly as if experts were 
present and held them, each move being explained 
as the game proceeds. 

In these illustrative hands, Z is always the dealer 
and A always leads for the first trick. The un- 
derlined card wins the trick, and the card under it 
is the one led for the next trick. A glance will 
show what cards the player holds, as there is only 
one red and one black suit on each side of the pip 
marks; hearts and clubs on the left of the figures, 
diamonds and spades on the right. 

73 



74 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



NOTES TO HAND NO. 1 

This is a much safer heart call than no-trump 
for Dummy. 

Some persons would begin with the singleton 
lead from A's hand, but winning cards that hold 
the lead until dummy's hand is laid down are 
much better. 

Tricks i and 2. A leads the K and follows with 
the J, and B plays down and out to show that he 
holds only two of the suit. This tells A that the 
dealer holds another, and A goes on to get a dis- 
card of B's best protected suit, so as to know what 
to lead next. 

Trick 4. Having nine trumps between the two 
hands the dealer does not want any finesse, so he 
puts the diamond ace right up, and, after drawing 
all the adverse trumps, plays to estabhsh the dia- 
monds. He afterward puts the ace of spades 
right up, as he can discard his losing spade on the 
diamonds. 

If dummy does not put on the ace of diamonds 
second hand, he loses the game, instead of win- 
ning it. 



\ 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



75 



HAND NO. 1 
Score, A-B 24 ; Y-Z 8. Dummy declares Hearts. 



TRICK 


A 


Y 


B 


■ Z 


1 


4 K 


♦ 4 


A 7 


« 9 


2 


A J 


A 5 


4k 3 


♦ 10 


3 


♦ Q 


« 6 


2 


4 8 


4 


7 


A 


4 


5 


5 


^7 


Z> K 


^ 9 


^ 3 


6 


^10 


<^ A 


^ Q 


9? 5 


7 


3 # 


9 


KO 


8 


8 


4 ♦ 


2 # 


5 41 


A ^ 


9 


7 ♦ 


3 


6 


QO 


10 


8 # 


Q* 


100 


J 


11 


K* 


^ 2 


6 ^ 


9 # 


12 


A 2 


^ J 


lO* 


^ 6 


13 


♦ A 


^ 4 


J ♦ 


^ 8 



Y and Z win 3 by cards and simple honors. 



76 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



NOTES TO HAND NO. 2 

This is a very good heart call for dummy. 

Trick I. A leads K and follows with Q, deny- 
ing the J. B does not play down and out, there- 
fore he must have another spade. This warns A 
not to lead any more spades, or the dealer will 
make a little trump and lead trumps through A^s 
king. 

Trick 3. A leads through dummy's strong suit, 
which is better than leading a black suit up to a 
passing hand. 

Trick 6. The only chance to get B in again is 
to try the club. 

Trick 8. The best play is the trump, as B may 
have three trumps, in which case dummy must 
lose a spade trick. 

Trick 9. The dealer must make his losing trump 
on the spade before catching B's trump. 

If B's play had not told A that the dealer had 
no more spades, A might have gone on and the 
dealer would have won 2 by cards easily, winning 
the game instead of losing it. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



77 



HAND NO. 2 

Score, A-B 24; Y-Z 16. Dummy declares 
Hearts. 



TRICK 


A 


Y 


B 


Z 


1 


K# 


4 # 


2 41 


3 A 


2 


Q# 


8# 


5 41^ 


J ♦ 


3 


8 


4 


KO 


9 


4 


2 


5 


A 


J 


5 


^ 4 


100 


3 


6 


6 


A 3 


* Q 


* A 


A 5 


7 


Q? K 


QO 


7 


^10 


8 


^ 5 


^ J 


^ 8 


^ 2 


9 


6 ^ 


9 ^ 


10 ♦ 


^ 3 


10 


« 4 


Q? 6 


♦ 2 


4k 8 


11 


4k J 


^ A 


^ 9 


4k 9 


12 


7 ♦ 


^ Q 


♦ 6 


♦ 10 


13 


A 4|k 


^ 7 


♦ 7 


♦ K 



A and B make the odd trick; Y and Z score 
simple honors. 



tofC. 



78 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



NOTES TO HAND NO. 3 

As soon as dummy's cards are laid down, the 
dealer sees that to win the game he must make five 
tricks in trumps and catch the king of clubs. He 
cannot possibly catch all the trumps by leading 
them, as one adversary must have four. As he 
may lose a trump trick, he must either get one in 
spades or two in diamonds. By playing the Bath 
Coup on the first round, he secures the extra trick 
in that suit. 

Trick 2. Not having both Q and J, the fourth- 
best is the right continuation for A. Of course 
he credits B with the ace. 

Trick 6. Having dropped all the trumps but 
the best one, Z now tries the club finesse, playing 
the lo on the jack, so as to keep the lead in his 
own hand, in case the king is three times guarded. 

Trick 8. Z must make his diamond before 
going on or B will trump the club and put him in 
with a diamond. The dealer knows B has only 
one more diamond, and must be all spades, so that 
B will have to lead up to Y's spade king eventually. 

Trick lo. B must make his ace now or never, 
as Y can give Z a discard on the best club. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



79 



HAND NO. 3 
Score, love-all. The dealer declares Hearts. 



TRICK 


A 


Y 


B 


Z 


1 


KO 


4 <0 


2 


3 


2 


6 


8 


5 


J 


3 


^ 4 


^ 7 


^ 2 


^ K 


4 


^ 5 


9 


^ 9 


^ Q 


5 


^ 8 


2 4|b 


^lO 


^ A 


6 


* 2 


*io 


♦ 7 


4 J 


7 


A 4 


A 6 


4 8 


« 9 


8 


lOO 


3 ♦ 


7 


A 


9 


4k 5 


* Q 


^ J 


♦ 3 


10 


8 ^ 


4 4^ 


A 4^ 


7 4|b 


11 


9 4|k 


io# 


5 ♦ 


J 4k 


12 


QO 


K* 


6 ♦ 


^ 6 


13 


X K 


A A 


Q ♦ 


Z> 3 



Y and Z make 4 by cards and simple honors. 



So THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



NOTES TO HAND NO. 4 

This would be a very poor diamond call for the 
dealer, as the dummy must have a no-trumper to 
help it. Dummy has a very fine no-trumper. 

A leads the fourth-best of his long suit and B 
plays his second-best, according to the rule for 
unblocking. What dummy plays does not matter 
to B. 

Trick 2. The dealer has several lines of play. 
He can get out of his own way by playing A K of 
hearts and then putting himself in with a small 
spade, leading a diamond after making Q J of 
hearts. He cannot drop the spades by leading 
A K Q from dummy, because one adversary must 
have four. The moment he has to play a diamond, 
the ace goes up and the clubs come in, so he is 
compelled to take the two by cards in sight, by 
playing the hand as he does. It is impossible for 
him to win the game. 

Note that if B does not unblock the clubs on the 
first trick, he loses the game at the end by being 
compelled to lead a losing heart. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



8l 



HAND NO. 4 

Score, A-B 12; Y-Z o. Dummy calls No- 
Trumps. 



TRICK 


A 


Y 


B 


z 


1 


A 7 


♦ A 


♦ Q 


A 5 


2 


4 ♦ 


2 # 


3 ^ 


J ♦ 


3 


9? 3 


^ K 


Z> 2 


^ 4 


4 


5 ♦ 


A ^ 


7 # 


^ 7 


5 


8# 


K# 


9 ^ 


40 


6 


9? 9 


Q^ 


104 


6 


7 


^10 


6 ^ 


^ 5 


7 


8 


2 


^ A 


^ 6 


^ J 


9 


* 2 


100 


Q 


S 


10 


4k 3 


3 


A 


9 


11 


* 8 


5 


A K 


♦ 6 


12 


*io 


J <0 


! *4 

i 


* 9 


13 


Jk J 


KO 


^ s 


Z> Q 



Y and Z win 2 by cards and 30 aces, 



82 THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



NOTES TO HAND NO. 5 

The dealer's weakness in hearts does not pre- 
vent his caUing no-trumps with such a hand as 
this. He must risk one suit when he has the other 
three. 

A leads his fourth-best. At no-trump, high 
cards are not led unless there are three honors in 
the suit. Y covers with the fourchette, the card 
above and the one below the card led. 

B counts by the eleven rule, deducting the 6, 
led, from ii, and finds there are only 5 cards higher 
than the 6 out against A's hand. Dummy has 3 
of these 5, and B has the other 2, therefore the 
dealer has no higher card. This shows B to play 
the 10 third hand, instead of the ace. 

But for the eleven rule, B would have played 
the ace to the first trick, and dummy's jack would 
have won a trick. A club lead and finesse, putting 
dummy in again with a spade to take a second 
finesse, and the dealer would have won 4 by cards 
easily. 

B discards his best protected suit and continues 
discarding it, so as to protect his weak black suits. 

Trick 5. The dealer must keep a small spade 
to put dummy in with, in case two leads drop the Q. 
The good discards made by B prevent the dealer 
from winning the game. 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 



83 



HAND NO. 5 

Score, A-B o; Y-Z 8. Dealer declares No- 
Trumps. 



TRICK 


A 


Y 


B 


Z 


1 


^ 6 


^ 7 


^ 10 


^ 3 


2 


^ 8 


^ 5 


^ A 


3 <0 


3 


Z> Q 


Z> 9 


^ 4 


5 


4 


^ K 


^ J 


6 


5 # 


5 


Z> 2 


8 


7 


« 6 


6 


100 


9 


J 


A 


7 


4 ♦ 


2 4k 


7 4|k 


A # 


8 


8 ♦ 


3 ^ 


Q* 


K* 


9 


10 ♦ 


J ♦ 


QO 


6 4k 


10 


2 


9 ♦ 


KO 


4k 7 


11 


♦ 3 


« 9 


♦ 2 


4k J 


12 


♦ 10 


4k 4 


4> 5 


A A 


13 


4 


♦ 8 


* K 


A Q 



Y and Z win the odd trick and 30 aces. 



DUMMY BRIDGE 

There are several ways in which three can play 
bridge, the simplest and most generally adopted 
being the following: 

The lowest cut of the three chooses his seat and 
cards and deals the first hand, playing alone 
against the two others. He picks up his cards 
and declares or passes as he pleases. 

If he passes, he takes up his dummy's cards, 
but without showing them to his adversaries, sorts 
them and makes what is called a mechanical de- 
claration according to the following rules: 

If dummy has three or four aces, he must make 
it no-trump. If dummy has not more than two 
aces, he cannot declare no-trumps, but must name 
his longest suit — that is, the one in which he has 
the most cards. 

If two suits are of equal length, he must pick 
out the one with the m.ost pips in it, counting the 
aces as ii, other honors as lo each, and the 
smaller cards at their face value. If the pip 
count is a tie, he must name the suit which has 
the higher scoring value. For instance: 

^9862 ^42 0A84 ♦ASBS 

Dummy cannot call no-trump, because he has 
only two aces. He has four hearts and four spades, 
and the pip value of each suit is the same — 25. 

84 



THE GIST OF BRIDGE 85 

As hearts are more valuable than spades, he must 
call hearts. 

Only the eldest hand can go over, and the 
dealer cannot redouble unless he has declared on 
his own hand and has not seen dummy^s cards. 
If the dealer declares, dummy's cards are not 
touched until the eldest hand leads. If dummy 
declares^ his cards are not laid down until the el- 
dest hand leads. 

On the second deal, the single player leaves his 
seat and takes the one opposite him, so as to be 
the eldest hand, with the right to double the adver- 
saries' declaration. If he doubles, only the actual 
maker of the trump can redouble him. 

When the single player is not the dealer, he 
leads, and the cards on his left are laid down. 
Then the single player lays down his own dummy's 
cards, so that there are two dummys on the table. 

On the third deal, the single player sits still, and 
the proceedings of the first deal are repeated. For 
the next deal, the single player changes his seat 
again, so as to be on the left of the next dealer. 
In this way the single player keeps his seat for 
two consecutive deals after the first one. 

It is usual to play a series of three games, no 
rubbers, the winning side adding 50 points bonus. 
For the second game, one of those who were part- 
ners becomes the single player, and the other part- 
ner becomes the single player for the third and 
last game of the series. 



DEC 16 1904 



AN INTERESTING PROBLEM 

The Dealer, Z, made Hearts trumps. When it 
comes down to the last six cards, he has the only 
two trumps left and this is the position of the cards: 



4* 



o o 

0% 




4.^4. 
4.*4. 



0^0 




o o 

O 



^i' 

^1^ 

T 

4^% 






o 



9 s? 







0^0 







B 



4- 


4- 
4- 




1 










The dummy, Y, is in the lead and the Dealer's 
side must get every one of the six remaining tricks 
to win the rubber. How did they do it, in spite of 
the very best play of A and B ? 

86 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillU 



PRICE TwtNTp 020. 237.423 2 



Dick &l Fitzgerald 

NEW YORK 




/ 



